The secure storage of vertically mounted electronic components can take up substantial wall space. By mounting hardware in an enclosure on the door of the enclosure as well as on the wall side of the enclosure, half of the necessary wall space is required. Traditionally, mounting hardware on the door of an enclosure has been performed in the field but is done in a manner that is not effective. For example, existing methods may involve double sided tape with no wire management, risking the hardware and integrity of the solution being provided. Also, existing installation methods may require more than one worker to install the enclosures.
The disclosed electronic component enclosure provides a more effective and efficient means of mounting electronic components in an enclosure.
For example, a mountable enclosure for electronic components can include a base having a generally box shape open on one side and forming a base storage area within the interior of the base. The base can include an exterior base mounting surface, such as a back wall of the enclosure for example. The exterior base mounting surface can have at least two pegs configured to stand the base off of a wall. The exterior base mounting surface can have at least two base mating portions, for example shoulder screws. The exterior base mounting surface can have at least two base fastening holes. In some examples, four base fastening holes may be used: two for fastening the enclosure to a bracket and two for fastening the enclosure to the wall.
The enclosure can include a door having a generally box shape open on one side forming a door storage area within the interior of the door. The door can be pivotally connected to the base along a vertical axis, forming a joint. In some examples, a flexible material can be used to cover a portion of the joint to protect wires from being pinched.
The enclosure can include a plurality of electronic component mounting areas within the base storage area and the door storage area.
The enclosure can include a plurality of horizontal cable management areas within the base storage area and the door storage area.
The enclosure can include a vertical cable management area located in the base storage area and configured to permit a cable to pass vertically through the enclosure. In some examples, punch-outs in the ceiling and floor of the vertical cable management area allow the user to create holes to allow cables to extend outside of the enclosure. In some examples, the enclosure can also include a vertical cable management area located in the door storage area and which is likewise configured to permit a cable to pass vertically through the enclosure.
In some examples, the enclosure can include a separated compartment for batteries or other power-specific components.
In some examples, external labeling can be used to reference the contents of the enclosure.
In some examples, multiple enclosures may be used. In some examples, the enclosures are all sized modularly. In some examples the modular enclosures have the same width but differing heights of a modular sizing. Larger enclosures can hold a greater number of electronic component mounting areas and horizontal cable management areas.
The enclosures can be configured in a number of different ways. In some examples, an enclosure may have one, two, three or more electronic component mounting areas in its door or its base. In other examples, an enclosure may have one, two, three or more electronic component mounting areas in its door or its base. In other examples, one or more vertical cable management areas can be included in the base or the door.
In some examples, a base or a door of an enclosure may be used for general storage and not contain any electronic component mounting areas, horizontal cable management areas, or vertical cable management areas. Alternatively, the enclosure could include some or all of these elements within its base, within its door, or both. For example, an enclosure may include a vertical cable management area in its base to allow for the passage of a cable from above the enclosure to another enclosure below the first enclosure and not contain any electronic component mounting areas or horizontal cable management areas.
In some examples, the bottom and top of a base and a door of an enclosure can be the same depth. In other examples, where a large item such as a battery is to be stored, the bottom of the base can be relatively deeper than its top and the cooperating door can have a relatively smaller bottom and larger top.
In some examples, an extra compartment for storing extra cable can be included above and in communication with the vertical cable storage management area. In some examples, the extra cable management area can have a removable face panel to provide access to the cables. In some cases, the extra cable management area can have punch-out sections permitting the user to create a hole or holes at the top of the extra cable management area.
In some examples of multiple enclosures, a cable can be passed through multiple enclosures. For example, a cable can extend from the extra cable management area down through the vertical cable management area of the base of the top most enclosure, down and through the vertical cable management area of the base of the next enclosure, etc.
An example of an electronic component enclosure mounting system can include at least one enclosure, as described above, and also at least one bracket.
The bracket can include a rigid body having first, second, and third parallel surfaces wherein the first and third surfaces are on one plane and the second surface is on a different plane. The first surface can have at least two alignment notches, for example, notches disposed generally at opposite ends of the first surface, and a plurality of first surface fastening holes disposed along the length of the first surface.
The second surface having at least two slide mounting openings and at least one second surface fastening hole.
The third surface can have a plurality of third surface fastening holes disposed along the length of the third surface.
The bracket can be fastened to the wall and the enclosure can be fastened to the bracket and the wall. In some cases, more than one enclosure may be mounted to a wall.
Also disclosed are methods of installation for an an electronic component enclosure system including one or more enclosures that is easier to perform than traditional wall-mounted component systems and which can be accomplished by a single person.
This method can begin with the step of leveling a first bracket and then fastening the bracket to the wall. Next, the enclosure can be fastened to the bracket by inserting base mating portions of the enclosure into slideable mounting openings of the bracket. For example, the base mating portions could be shoulder screws or any other protrusion adapted to mate with the bracket. The slideable mounting openings of the bracket could be key-hole style receiving holes permitting mating hardware to be inserted into the hole and then slid along a horizontal groove to lock it in place. In sliding the mating hardware to lock the enclosure onto the bracket the user can also align the base fastening hole with the bracket fastening hole and thereafter fasten the enclosure to the bracket using a fastener inserted through the fastening holes.
A second bracket can be installed below the first bracket by inserting notches located at the top corners of the second bracket into pegs extending from the first enclosure. In this way, the user does not need to use a level to position the second bracket in alignment with the first.
The second bracket and a second enclosure can then be installed following the same steps as above. Subsequent enclosures and subsequent brackets can likewise be installed below previously installed enclosures following these same steps.